Automatic light-extinguisher.



H. E. MATTHAIQ AUTOMATIC LIGHT EX TINGUISHBR.

Patented 0013.26, 1909.

Ill/ll a vi N jw warneys HENRY E. MATTI-I'AI, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC LIGHT-EXTINGUISHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 26, 1909.

Application filed. June 8, 1906. seriai No. 320,880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY E. MATTHAI, a citizen of the United States, residing at 667 East Forty-seventh street, Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have lnvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Automatic Light-Extinguishers, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates in general to light extinguishers, and more particularly to an automatic device for turning on or off a light at a given hour.

It is frequently desirable that lights should continue to a given hour and then should be extinguished, as for instance in illuminating show windows of stores. "At the present time it is customary for the lights to be extinguished in store windows at the desired hour by the night watchman or some other person, who must necessarily remain awake until the hour when it is no longer desirable to continue the illumination.

The primary object of my invention is'to provide mechanism for automatically extinguishing one or more lights at a pre-determined hour.

A further object of my invention is to provide mechanism for either turning on or off one or more lights at a given hour, which will be simple in construction, inexpensive in manufacture, and efiicient in operation.

The embodiment of my invention herein disclosed may be generally described as comprising a motor, a time train controlling the operation of the motor, and operative connections between the motor and the key of a light whereby the light will be either turned on or ofi by the motor at an hour determined by the time train.

My invention will be more fully described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawing in which the same is illustrated as embodied in a convenient and practical form, and in which- Figure 1 is an elevational view; Fig. 2 a sectional view on line 22 Fig. 3; Fig. 3 a sectional view on line 3-8 Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 a side elevational view.

The same reference characters are used to designate the same parts in the several figures of the drawing.

Reference letter A designates an incandescent electric lamp of any suitable construction and supported in any usual manner, as by means of a tube a.

A indicates a shade surrounding the lamp A.

b designates the usual key for turning'on and 0d the current which illuminates the lamp A.

While I have shown an incandescent lamp I do not wish to be understood as limiting the application of my invention to any particular form of lamp, as itis adapted to control a light of any character.

C designates a lever detachably secured in any suitable manner, as by means of a clamp screw 0 to the key I) of the lamp. The free end of the lever has secured thereto a connection such, for instance, as a cord D by means of which the lever may be so oscillated as to turn the key. I connect the cord D to a motor whereby the cord may be tightened and the lamp key thereby actuated, and also provide a time train for controlling the operation of the motor so that the key may be turned at any desired hour.

In carrying out my invention an alarm clock may be conveniently used to control the turning of the lamp key. It will be understood, however, that my invention is not'limited to the use of an alarm clock, but any other suitable motor and controlling time train may be employed.

E designates the casing of an alarm clock of any suitable construction.

c designates the hands of the clock.

F indicates the escapement shaft of the alarm mechanism, which is released by the time train at the desired hour. I secure to the end of the escapement shaft F an extension F the outer end of which is rotatably supported in the end 70 of a bracket K suitably secured to the clock casing.

f designates the key fixed to the extension F of the shaft F by means of which the alarm mechanism of the clock maybe wound.

G indicates a drum secured to the shaft F in a suitable manner as by means of a clamp screw g. The end of the cord D is secured to the drum G. In order that the cord may be evenly wound upon the drum I provide a guide H in the form of a bail, the ends of which loosely surround the shaft F at the opposite ends of the drum G. In order that the clock may have sufficient weight to remain stationary while the cord is being wound upon the drum, I surround the clock with a casing in which is supported a weight. I have illustrated the casing surrounding the clock as comprising a bottom L, converging end walls L and L front and rear walls L and L, and a top wall L.

M designates a weight of any suitable character supported upon the bottom wall of the the casing beneath the clock E, while reference characters M and M designate Weights supported on the opposite sides of the clock between the same and the end walls of the surrounding casing. In order 7 that the clock may be conveniently carried a handle 15 may be secured to the top wall of the casing.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The lever is secured to the key of the light which is to be controlled and the clock is then placed at any convenient point so that the cord D will be taut. The alarm mechanism of the clock is wound in the usual manner and the clock set for the alarm to go ofi at the desired hour. When the predetermined hour arrives the time train of the clock permits the shaft F to be rotated by the usual motor spring which effects the rotation of the drum G and thereb winds the cord D so that the lever C will e oscillated and the key of the lamp turned.

It is obvious that the lever C may be so connected to the key of the lamp as to turn the same to either illuminate or extinguish the lamp as may be desired. It is also evident that my improvement may simultaneously turn on or off one or more lamps of any character.

From the foregoing description it will be observed that I have invented an improved automatic device for turning on or off a light by means of which the lights may be illuminated or extinguished at any desired hour without necessitating Having now fully described my invention,

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a key, an alarm clock, a drum arranged on the outside of the clock casing and connected to the alarm mechanism of the clock, a bracketfixed to the exteriorpf the clock casing and supporting one end of the drum, a bail having its arms arranged at opposite ends'of said drum and pivoted to swing about-the axis of the drum, said bail having an opening therethrough, a flexible connect-ion extending from said key and passing about said drum, said flexible connection passing through the opening in the bail so as to be guided thereby.

2. The combination with a light, of a key for turning on and off said light, an alarm clock including a clock casing, a bracket mounted on the exterior of'the clock casing, a drum revolubly supported at one end by said bracket and having a driving connection at its other end with the alarm mechanism of the clock, a flexible connection between said key and said drum,an auxiliary casing within which said clock casing is mounted, together with weights arranged between the clock casing and the auxiliary casing. v I

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification'in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY E. MATTI-IAI. WVitnesses:

GEO. L. VVILKI'NsoN, HARRY L. GAITHER. 

